At an emotional D-Day ceremony at Canadian War Cemetery in France, relatives, veterans remember those lost – by Paul Waldie and Irene Galea (Globe and Mail – June 6, 2024)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

They came from Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba with a flag and prayers, to honour one of their own, a young soldier who died taking the beaches of Normandy in 1944.

The tombstone in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bény-sur-Mer is marked simply “R. Beardy, gunner.” He enlisted in the army with his brother, Sandy, and they were among the roughly 14,000 Canadians who participated in the D-Day landing on June 6, 1944, and the months-long campaign that liberated France.

Rose Beardy died on July 30, 1944, at the age of 26. Sandy returned home to Cross Lake, Man., and spoke of a dream he’d had the night before Rose died, when he saw his brother in heaven.

“They fought for our rights,” said Rose’s great-grandson, Tyrell Muskego, as he stood near the grave on Wednesday. “It’s very emotional.” Mr. Muskego, 18, was part of a group of more than 20 high-school students from Pimicikamak Cree Nation who travelled to France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

For the rest of this article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-d-day-anniversary-canadian-war-cemetery-france/